eng_aiv Amundson Interpretive Version 1 Kings 1 Kings 1 Kings 1 Kgs 1 Kings id=eng_aiv name=Amundson Interpretive Version (AIV) status=draft spec=USFM-USX 3.1.1 export=2026-11-02 char:add=translator-addition-italic char:wj=words-of-Jesus-as-received-unmapped note:f=footnotes para:r=parallel-passage-references para:d=psalm-superscriptions Abishag Cares for David And King David was old, entering into the days. And they covered him with garments, and he could not get warm. And his servants said to him, “Let them seek for our lord the king a young woman, a virgin, and let her stand before the face of the king, and let her care for him, and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” And they sought a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunammitess and brought her to the king. And the young woman was even exceedingly lovely, and she cared for the king and served him, and the king did not know her. Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom And Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself a chariot and horsemen and fifty men to run before his face. (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” And He was also very good in form, and she had borne him after Absalom.) And his words were with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they helped after Adonijah. And Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who were to David, were not with Adonijah. And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth,1.9 Or the Serpent’s Stone which is by En-rogel. And he called all his brothers the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah the servants of the king. And Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he did not call. Nathan and Bathsheba before David And Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have not you heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? And come, let me advise you, please, with counsel that may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go and enter in to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Surely Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? And why has Adonijah become king?’ Behold, while you are still talking there with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.” And Bathsheba went in to the king into the chamber. And the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammitess was serving the king. And Bathsheba bowed herself low to the king. And the king said, “What is for you?” And she said to him, “My lord, you swore by YHWH your God to your maidservant, ‘Surely Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ And now, behold, Adonijah has become king. And, my lord the king, you do not know about it. And He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and he has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army. And Solomon your servant he has not invited. And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. And it will come to pass, in the resting on my lord the king with his fathers, that I will be counted, and my son Solomon, as sinful.” And behold, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. And they told the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet.” And he came in before the face of the king, and he bowed low before the king with his nose to the ground. And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and he has called to all the sons of the king and the commanders1.25 Hebrew; LXX Joab the commander of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before his face and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah.’ And me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant, he has not called. Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” David Renews His Oath to Bathsheba And King David answered and said, “Call for me Bathsheba.” And she came before the face of the king and stood before the face of the king. And the king took an oath and said, “As YHWH lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, just as I swore to you by YHWH, God of Israel, saying, surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place, even so I will surely do this day.” And Bathsheba bowed with her nose to the ground and she bowed low to the king, and said, “May my lord live King David forever.” Solomon Anointed King (1 Chronicles 29:21–25) And King David said, “Call for me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” And they came in before the face of the king. And the king said to them, “Take with you⁺ the servants of your⁺ lord, and have ride Solomon my son on the mule that is unto me, and take him down to Gihon. And let Zadok the priest anoint him there—and Nathan the prophet—as king over Israel. And blow the shofar and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ And you⁺ shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, “Amen! Thus YHWH the God of my lord the king speaks. As YHWH has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” And Zadok the priest went down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they had Solomon ride on the mule of King David and took him to Gihon. And Zadok the priest took a horn of the oil from the tabernacle, and he anointed Solomon. And they blew with the shofar, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon.” And all the people went up after him, and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, and the earth was split by their sound. Adonijah Learns of Solomon’s Kingship And Adonijah heard it, and all the guests who were with him, and they finished eating. And Joab heard the voice of the shofar. And he said, “Why is the noise of the city roaring?” And while he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came in. And Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a man of valor and bring good news.” And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “Truly our lord King David has made Solomon king. And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they had him ride on the mule of the king. And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing, and the city rings out; it is the noise that you⁺ have heard. And Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. And also the servants of the king have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May God make better the name of Solomon than your name, and may He make greater his throne than your throne.’ And the king bowed low on the bed. And thus the king said, ‘Blessed be YHWH, God of Israel, who has given one1.48 LXX one of my offspring today to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’” And all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid and arose, and each man went on his way. And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon. And he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. And it was told to Solomon, saying, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put to death his servant with the sword.’” And Solomon said, “If he is a son of strength not one hair of him shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” And King Solomon sent and they brought him down from the altar, and he came and fell down before King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.” David Instructs Solomon (Psalm 37:1–40) And drew near the days of David to die, and he commanded Solomon his son, saying, “I am going the way of all the earth. And you shall be strong and you shall become a man. And you shall keep the charge of YHWH your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, and His ordinances, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do, and all wherever you turn in it, so that YHWH may fulfill His word that He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘Shall not be cut off to you a man on the throne of Israel.’ And also you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the hosts of Israel, to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. And he killed them and made the blood of war in peacetime, and he put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandal that was on his feet.2.5 Jether is a variant of Ithra; also in verse 32; see 2 Samuel 17:25. 2.5 Hebrew; LXX He stained with innocent blood the belt around my waist and the sandals on my feet. And you shall do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down in peace to Sheol. And to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite show loving devotion,2.7 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant. and let them be among those who eat at your table; for so they drew near to me when I fled from Absalom your brother. And behold, with you is Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim. And he cursed me with a bitter curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. And he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by YHWH, saying, ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ And now do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man, and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring down his gray hair in blood to Sheol.” David’s Reign and Death (1 Chronicles 29:26–30) And David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years—in Hebron he reigned seven years and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. And Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was established firmly. The Execution of Adonijah And Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she said, “Do you come In peace?” And he said, “In peace.” And he said, “A word to me is to you.” And she said, “Speak.” And he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and on me had set their faces all Israel that I should reign. And the kingdom has been turned over, and has become to my brother, for from YHWH it has come to him. And one request I ask of you; do not deny me.” And she said to him, “Speak.” And he said, “Speak, please, to Solomon the King, for he will not refuse you, that he may give to me Abishag the Shunammitess for a wife.” And Bathsheba said, “Good; I will speak for you to the king.” And Bathsheba came in to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and he bowed low to her and sat down on his throne, and he set a throne for the mother of the king. And she sat at his right hand. And she said, “One small request I desire of you. Do not turn back my face.” And the king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not turn back your face.” And she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammitess be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.” And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammitess for Adonijah? And also ask for him the kingdom—for he is older brother to me—even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.” And King Solomon swore by YHWH, saying, “Thus may do to me God, and thus may He add, if against his own life Adonijah has not spoken this word. And now as YHWH lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established for me a house as He promised, surely today Adonijah shall be put to death.” And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died. And to Abiathar the priest said the king, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields. For you are deserving of death, and at this time I will not put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord YHWH before the face of David my father, and because you were afflicted in all that my father was afflicted.” And Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to YHWH, that he might fulfill the word of YHWH that He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh. The Execution of Joab And the report came to Joab, for Joab had turned aside to Adonijah, and after Absalom he had not turned aside. And Joab fled to the tabernacle of YHWH and took hold of the horns of the altar. And it was declared to King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tabernacle of YHWH, and behold, he was by the altar. And Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall upon him.” And Benaiah went to the tabernacle of YHWH and said to him, “Thus says the king: ‘Come out.’” And he said, “No, but here I will die.” And Benaiah brought back to the king word, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.” And the king said to him, “Do as he has said and strike him down and bury him, that you may take away the innocent blood that Joab shed from me and from the house of my father. And YHWH will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and he killed them with the sword—and my father David knew it not—Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah. And their blood shall return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his seed forever. And upon David and his seed, and upon his house and his throne there shall be peace even to forever from YHWH.” And Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck him and killed him, and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. And the king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and Zadok the priest the king put in the place of Abiathar. The Execution of Shimei And the king sent and called for Shimei, and he said to him, “Build for yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there where and where. For it will come to pass on the day you go out and pass over the Kidron Brook, that you will surely know that you will surely die; your blood will be on your own head.” And Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. And it came to pass at the end of three years that two slaves of Shimei fled to Achish son of Maacah king of Gath. And they declared to Shimei, saying, “Behold, your slaves are in Gath.” 2.39 Maacah is a variant of Maoch; see 1 Samuel 27:2. And Shimei arose and saddled his donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath. And it was told to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned. And the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did not I make you swear by YHWH and give warning to you, saying, ‘On the day of your going out when you travel where and where, you will surely know that you will surely die’? and you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’ And why have not you kept the oath of YHWH and the commandment that I commanded concerning you?” And the king said to Shimei, “You know all the evil that your heart has known, that you did to David my father; and YHWH will return your evil on your head. And King Solomon is blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the face of YHWH even to forever.” And the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck down him, and he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon. Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:1–13; Psalm 45:1–17; Psalm 72:1–20) And Solomon joined in marriage with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he took the daughter of Pharaoh and brought her in to the City of David, until his completing to build his own house, and the house of YHWH, and the wall all around Jerusalem. Only, the people sacrificed at the high places, because there had not been built a house for the name of YHWH until those days. And Solomon loved YHWH, walking in the statutes of David his father; only at the high places he sacrificed and burned incense. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon YHWH appeared to Solomon in a dream by the night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give to you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown to Your servant David my father great loving devotion, because he walked before You in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You, and You have continued for him this great loving devotion, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. And now, O YHWH my God, You have made Your servant to reign in place of David my father, and I am a little child. I do not know going out or coming in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a people numerous that is not to be numbered and not to be counted for multitude. And give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” And the word was good in the eyes of the Lord,3.10 Hebrew Adonai; also in verse 15 that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said to him, “Because that you have asked this thing, and have not asked for yourself long life, and not have asked for yourself riches, and not have asked the life of your enemies, and you have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice— behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given to you a wise heart and understanding, so that there has been none like you before you, and after you shall none arise like you. And also what you have not asked, I have given to you, both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. And if you walk in My ways to keep My statutes and My commandments, as David your father walked, I will prolong your days.” And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the face of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and he offered up burnt offerings, and he made peace offerings, and he made a feast for all his servants. Solomon Judges Wisely Then came two women, prostitutes, to the king, and they stood before his face. And one woman said, “Please my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I gave birth while she was in the house. And it came to pass, the third day of my bringing forth, that this woman also brought forth, and we were together. No one was with us in the house except the two of us in the house. And the son of this woman died in the night, because she lay on him. And she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from my side—and your maidservant slept—and laid him in her bosom, and her dead child she laid in my bosom. And I rose in the morning to nurse my son, and there he was dead. And I considered concerning him in the morning, and behold, he was not my son whom I had borne.” And the other woman said, “No, but my son is the living one, and your son is the dead one.” And this woman said, “No, but your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.” And they spoke before the face of the king. And the king said, “This one says, ‘This is my son who lives, and your son is the dead one,’ and this one says, ‘No, but your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’” And the king said, “Bring me a sword.” And they brought a sword before the face of the king. And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one and half to one.” And the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for with compassion she yearned for her son, and she said, “Please my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him.” And this one said, “Let him be not even unto me or unto you; divide him!” And the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother.” And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they feared the face of the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was within him, to administer justice. Solomon’s Princes And king Solomon was King over all Israel. And these were the officials who were unto him: Azariah son of Zadok the priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud, the recorder; 4.3 Shisha is also called Seraiah, Sheva, and Shavsha; see 2 Samuel 8:17, 2 Samuel 20:25, and 1 Chronicles 18:16. and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, over the army; and Zadok and Abiathar, the priests; and Azariah son of Nathan, over the officers; and Zabud son of Nathan, a priest, friend of the king; and Ahishar, over the house; and Adoniram son of Abda, over the forced labor. 4.6 Adoniram is a variant of Adoram and Hadoram; see 2 Samuel 20:24 and 2 Chronicles 10:18. Solomon’s Twelve Officers And had Solomon twelve governors over all Israel, and they provided food for the king and his house—one month of the year was upon each one for provision. And these are their names: Ben-hur in the hill country of Ephraim; Ben-deker in Makaz, and Shaalbim, and Beth-Shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan; Ben-hesed in Arubboth (to him was Sochoh and all the land of Hepher); Ben-abinadab in all Naphath-dor4.11 Or in all the heights of Dor; Naphath-dor is a variant of Naphoth-dor; see Joshua 11:2. (Taphath the daughter of Solomon was unto him as wife); Baana son of Ahilud in Taanach and Megiddo, and in all Beth-shean, which is beside Zaretan beneath Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, to beyond Jokmeam; Ben-geber in Ramoth-gilead (unto him were the towns of Jair son of Manasseh that were in Gilead; unto him was the region of Argob that is in Bashan, sixty large cities with walls and bronze bars); Ahinadab son of Iddo in Mahanaim; Ahimaaz in Naphtali (he also took Basemath the daughter of Solomon as wife); Baanah son of Hushai in Asher and in Aloth; Jehoshaphat son of Paruah in Issachar; Shimei son of Ela in Benjamin; Geber son of Uri in the land of Gilead, the land of Sihon king of the Amorite and of Og king of Bashan. There was also one governor in the land of Judah.4.19 Some LXX manuscripts; Hebrew And he was the one governor who was in the land. Solomon’s Prosperity Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing. And Solomon was reigning over all kingdoms from the River4.21 That is, the Euphrates; also in verse 24 to the land of the Philistines, and as far as the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life. And the provision of Solomon for one day was thirty cors of fine flour,4.22 30 cors is approximately 187 bushels or 6,600 liters (probably about 5.5 tons or 5 metric tons of flour). and sixty cors of meal,4.22 60 cors is approximately 375 bushels or 13,200 liters (probably about 11 tons or 10 metric tons of meal). ten fat oxen, and twenty oxen from the pastures, and a hundred sheep, besides deer, and gazelles, and roebucks, and fattened fowl. For he had dominion over all on this side of the River,4.24 Or beyond the River from Tiphsah and to Gaza, over all the kings on this side of the River. And was unto him peace on all his sides all around. And Judah and Israel dwelt in safety, each man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan and to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. And Solomon had four thousand4.26 Some LXX manuscripts (see also 2 Chronicles 9:25); Hebrew 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horses.4.26 Or horsemen or charioteers And these governors provided food for King Solomon and for all who came to the table of King Solomon, each man in his month. Nothing was lacking in their supply. And the barley and the straw for the horses and the steeds they brought to the place where it should be there, each man according to his charge. Solomon’s Wisdom And God gave wisdom to Solomon, and understanding exceedingly great, and breadth of heart, like the sand that is on the shore of the sea. And the wisdom of Solomon was greater than the wisdom of all of the sons of the East, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men—than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame was in all the surrounding nations. And He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spoke of trees, from the cedar of Lebanon and to the hyssop that comes out of the wall. And he spoke of the animals, and of the birds, and of the creeping things, and of the fish. And men came from all the nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom. Preparations for the Temple (2 Chronicles 2:1–10) And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, because he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram was loving of David all the days. And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, “You know David my father, how he could not build a house for the name of YHWH his God because of the wars that surrounded him, until YHWH put them under the soles of his feet. And YHWH my God has given rest to me on every side; there is no adversary and no evil occurrence. And behold, I propose to build a house for the name of YHWH my God, as YHWH spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set in your place on your throne, he will build the house for My Name.’ And now command that they cut down for me cedars from Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, and for your servants I will pay wages to you according to whatever you say, for you know that there is none among us who has skill to cut trees like the Sidonians.” Hiram’s Reply to Solomon (2 Chronicles 2:11–18) And it came to pass that Hiram heard the words of Solomon, and he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be YHWH this day, for He has given to David a wise son over this great people.” And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have considered that which you have sent to me, and I will do all you desire with the trees of cedar and with the trees of cypress.5.8 Or pine or juniper or fir; also in verse 10 My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the Sea,5.9 That is, the Mediterranean Sea, also called the Great Sea and I will float them in rafts by the sea to the place that you indicate to me, and I will break them up there. And you shall lift them and you shall fulfill my desire by giving food for my house.” And Hiram gave to Solomon trees of cedar and trees of cypress, all of his desire. And Solomon gave to Hiram twenty thousand cors5.11 20,000 cors is approximately 124,800 bushels or 4.4 million liters (probably about 3,800 tons or 3,400 metric tons of wheat). of wheat as food for his house, and twenty thousand baths of pressed oil.5.11 LXX (see also 2 Chronicles 2:10); 20,000 baths is approximately 116,000 gallons or 440,000 liters of olive oil; Hebrew twenty cors of pure oil or twenty cors of pressed oil Thus Solomon gave to Hiram year by year. And YHWH gave wisdom to Solomon as He had promised to him, and there was peace between Hiram and between Solomon, and the two of them cut a covenant.5.12 Or a treaty. Solomon’s forced labor And King Solomon raised up a forced labor out of all Israel, and the forced labor was thirty thousand men. And he sent them to Lebanon ten thousand by the month in shifts. One month they were in Lebanon, and two months in his house. And Adoniram was over the forced labor. And Solomon had seventy thousand who lift a burden and eighty thousand who hew in the hill country, besides the chiefs of the deputies of Solomon that are over the work, three thousand and three hundred were those ruling over the people who were doing the work. 5.16 Hebrew; some LXX manuscripts 3,600; see 2 Chronicles 2:18. And the king commanded them, and they brought large stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the temple, and hewn stones. And the builders of Solomon, and the builders of Hiram, and the Gebalites hewed, and they prepared the trees and stones to build the house. Temple Construction Begins (2 Chronicles 3:1–2) And it came to pass in the four hundredth year and eightieth year6.1 Hebrew; LXX four hundred and fortieth after the going out of the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv—6.1 Ziv was the second month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of April and May; also in verse 37. it is the second month of the reigning of Solomon over Israel—that he began to build the house of YHWH. And the house that King Solomon built for YHWH, sixty cubits was its length, and twenty its width, and thirty cubits its height. 6.2 The house was approximately 90 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 45 feet high (27.4 meters long, 9.1 meters wide, and 13.7 meters high). And the portico was upon the face of the sanctuary of the house, twenty cubits6.3 20 cubits is approximately 30 feet or 9.1 meters; also in verses 16 and 20. was its length upon the face, the width of the house, and ten by the cubit6.3 10 cubits is approximately 15 feet or 4.6 meters; also in verses 23–26. was its width upon the face of the house. And he made for the house windows with narrowed frames. The Chambers And he built against the wall of the house chambers all around, the walls of the house all around, the sanctuary and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around it. The lowest couch was five by the cubit wide,6.6 5 cubits is approximately 7.5 feet or 2.3 meters; also in verses 10 and 24. and the middle was six by the cubit wide,6.6 6 cubits is approximately 9 feet or 2.7 meters. and the third was seven by the cubit wide.6.6 7 cubits is approximately 10.5 feet or 3.2 meters. For ledges he gave all around the outside of the temple, so that nothing would be fastened into the walls of the house. And the house, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that hammer or chisel or any iron tool was not heard in the house while it was being built. The doorway for the bottom6.8 LXX and Targum; Hebrew middle story was on the right side of the house, and by stairs they went up the middle story, and from the middle to the third. And he built the house and finished it, and he covered the house with beams and rows of the cedars. And he built the couch against all the house, five cubits high, and it was attached to the house with cedar beams. God’s Promise to Solomon And the word of YHWH came to Solomon, saying, “This house that you are building, if you walk in My statutes, and My ordinances you do, and keep all My commandments and walk in them, then I will cause to stand My word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell in the midst of the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.” The Temple’s Interior (2 Chronicles 3:5–9) And Solomon built the house and completed it. And he built the walls of the house on the inside On the inside with cedar boards from the floor of the house up to the walls of the ceiling. He overlaid with wood the inside, and he covered the floor of the house with sides of cypress.6.15 Or pine or juniper or fir; also in verse 34 And he built the twenty cubits at the rear of the house with cedar boards from floor to ceiling, and he built it inside, as the inner sanctuary, for the Holy of Holies.6.16 Or the Most Holy Place And forty by the cubit6.17 40 cubits is approximately 60 feet or 18.3 meters. was the sanctuary; it is the house before it. And the cedar for the house inside was carved with gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; not a stone was seen. And the inner sanctuary in the midst of the house on the inside, he prepared to set there the ark of the covenant of YHWH. And before the face of the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, and twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high. And He overlaid it with pure gold, and he overlaid the altar of cedar.6.20 Or with cedar And Solomon overlaid the house inside with pure gold, and He stretched gold chains6.21 Or made gold chains to draw (the curtains) across the front of the inner sanctuary, and he overlaid it with gold. And all the house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house. And all the altar that was for the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold. The Cherubim (2 Chronicles 3:10–13) And he made inside the inner sanctuary two cherubim of olive wood, ten cubits high. And was five cubits the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the second wing of the cherub—ten cubits from the ends of one wing and to the ends of the other. And ten by the cubit was the second cherub, of one size and one shape were the two cherubim. The height of the one cherub was ten by the cubit, and so the second cherub. And he set the cherubim in the midst of the inner room, and they stretched out the wings of the cherubim so that the wing of the one touched one wall, and the wing of the second cherub touched the second wall, and their wings in the middle of the room touched wing against wing. And he overlaid the cherubim with gold. And all the walls of the house all around he carved with openings of carvings of cherubim, and palm trees, and open flowers, from inside and to the outside. And the floor of the house he overlaid with gold, for inside and for the outside. The Doors And for the entrance of the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood. The lintel and doorposts were five-sided. And the two doors were of olive wood, and he carved on them figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold, and he beat out the gold on the cherubim, and on the palm trees. And also he made for the door of the sanctuary doorposts of olive wood with four sides. And the two doors were of cypress wood, two panels of the one door were folding, and two panels of the second door were folding. And he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold applied evenly on the carved work. The Courtyard And he built the inner court with three rows of hewn stone, and a row of cut beams of cedar. In the fourth year of the house of YHWH the foundation was laid, in the month of Ziv. And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul,6.38 Bul was the eighth month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of October and November. that is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its details and according to all its plans. And he built it seven years. Solomon’s Palace Complex And his own house Solomon built thirteen years; and he finished all his house. And He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon; a hundred cubits was its length, and fifty cubits its width, and thirty cubits its height, with four rows of cedar pillars and cedar beams on the pillars. 7.2 The house was approximately 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high (45.7 meters long, 22.9 meters wide, and 13.7 meters high). And it was covered with cedar above, on the beams that were on forty-five pillars, fifteen in the row. And windows were in three rows, and window was opposite window in three tiers. And all the doorways and the doorposts were squared framework, and window was opposite window in three tiers. And also he made the Hall of Pillars, fifty cubits its length and thirty cubits its width.7.6 The colonnade was approximately 75 feet long and 45 feet wide (22.9 meters long and 13.7 meters wide). And a portico was before their faces with pillars, and a canopy was before their faces. And he made a hall for the throne where he would judge there, the Hall of Justice, and it was covered with the cedar from the floor up to the ceiling.7.7 Syriac and Vulgate; Hebrew from the floor up to the floor And the house where he dwelt there had another court inside the porch. It was of like workmanship as this and he made a house for the daughter of Pharaoh—whom Solomon had taken—like this porch. All these were of costly stones, cut to size, trimmed with the saw from within and from without, and from the foundation to the eaves, and from the outside up to the great court. And the foundation was of costly stones, large stones, stones of ten cubits7.10 10 cubits is approximately 15 feet or 4.6 meters. and stones of eight cubits.7.10 8 cubits is approximately 12 feet or 3.7 meters. And above were costly stones, hewn according to the measurement, and cedar wood. And the great court was three rows of hewn stones round about and a row of cedar beams, even for the inner court of the house of YHWH and the porch of the house. The Pillars and Capitals (2 Chronicles 3:14–17) And King Solomon sent and brought Huram7.13 Hebrew Hiram, a variant of Huram; also in verses 40 and 45; see 2 Chronicles 4:11. Note that this is not Hiram king of Tyre mentioned in 1 Kings 5:1. from Tyre. He was the son of a woman, a widow, from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a Tyrian man, a worker in bronze. And he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of work in bronze. And he came to King Solomon and did all his work. And he cast two pillars of bronze, eighteen cubits was the height of the one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits compassed the second pillar.7.15 Each pillar was approximately 27 feet high and 18 feet in circumference (8.2 meters high and 5.5 meters in circumference). And two capitals he made to set on the tops of the pillars, cast bronze, five cubits the height of the one capital, and five cubits the height of the second capital.7.16 5 cubits is approximately 7.5 feet or 2.3 meters. He made a network of lattice with wreaths of chainwork for the capitals that were on top of the pillars, seven for the one capital and seven for the second capital.7.17 Hebrew; LXX one for each capital And he made the pillars and two rows all around above the one network, to cover the capitals that were on top of the pomegranates; and so he did for the second capital. And the capitals that were on top of the pillars were in the shape of lilies in the hall, four cubits.7.19 4 cubits is approximately 6 feet or 1.8 meters; also in verse 38. And the capitals on the two pillars also above, from near the belly that was next to the network. And there were two hundred pomegranates in rows all around on the second capital. And he set up the pillars for the porch of the house. And he set up the pillar on the right and called its name Jachin,7.21 Jachin probably means He establishes. and he set up the pillar on the left and called its name Boaz.7.21 Boaz probably means in Him is strength. And the tops of the pillars were the work of lilies. And the work of the pillars was finished. The Molten Sea (2 Chronicles 4:1–5) And he made the Sea of cast bronze, ten by the cubit from one brim to the other. It was perfectly round, and five by the cubit was its height, and a line of thirty by the cubit surrounded it all around.7.23 The Sea was approximately 15 feet from rim to rim, 7.5 feet in height, and 45 feet in circumference (4.6 meters from rim to rim, 2.3 meters in height, and 13.7 meters in circumference). And were ornamental buds beneath its brim round about surrounding it, ten by the cubit, all the way around the Sea. In two rows the ornamental buds were cast when it was cast. It stood on twelve oxen, three facing toward the north, and three facing toward the west, and three facing toward the south, and three facing toward the east; and the Sea was over them, and all their hindquarters were inward. And it was a handbreadth thick,7.26 A handbreadth is approximately 2.9 inches or 7.4 centimeters. and its brim as the work of the brim of a cup, a lily blossom. It contained two thousand baths.7.26 2,000 baths is approximately 11,600 gallons or 44,000 liters; LXX does not include this sentence. The Ten Bronze Stands And He made ten carts of bronze, four by the cubit the length of the one cart, and four by the cubit its width, and three by the cubit its height.7.27 The stands were approximately 6 feet in length and width, and 4.5 feet high (1.8 meters in length and width, and 1.4 meters high). And this was the design of the carts: Panels were unto them, and the panels between frames. And on the panels that were between the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim; and on the frames was a pedestal on top; and beneath the lions and the oxen were wreaths of plaited work. And four bronze wheels were unto the one cart, and axles of bronze, and its four feet were supports to them; under the basin were supports of cast bronze beside each of the wreaths. And its opening inside the crown and at the top was a cubit,7.31 One cubit is approximately 18 inches or 45.7 centimeters. and the opening was round shaped a pedestal, one and a half of the cubit,7.31 A cubit and a half is approximately 2.25 feet or 68.6 centimeters wide; similarly in verse 32. and also on the opening were engravings, and the panels were square not round. And the four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were to the cart. And the height of one wheel was a cubit and a half a cubit. And the workmanship of the wheels was like the workmanship of a wheel of a chariot. Their hubs, and their axles, and their spokes, and their rims were all of cast metal. And were four supports at the four corners of the one cart, its supports were of the cart itself. And on the top of the cart was half a cubit7.35 Half a cubit is approximately 9 inches or 22.9 centimeters high. at the height all around circular, and on the top of the cart were its hands and its rims of the same casting. And he engraved on the plates of its hands and on its rims cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the void space of each, with wreaths all around. Thus he made the ten carts; one casting, one measure, one shape was for all of them. The Ten Bronze Basins (2 Chronicles 4:6–8) And he made ten basins of bronze. One basin contained forty baths;7.38 40 baths is approximately 232 gallons or 880 liters. one basin was four by the cubit; one basin on one cart was to the ten carts. And he put five carts on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house, and the Sea he set on the right side of the house eastward toward the south. Completion of the Bronze Works (2 Chronicles 4:11–18) And Huram made the pots,7.40 Many Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate (see also verse 45 and 2 Chronicles 4:11); many other Hebrew manuscripts basins and the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls. And Huram finished doing all the work that he was to do for King Solomon for the house of YHWH: The two pillars; and the bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the two pillars; and the two networks covering the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the pillars; and four hundred pomegranates for the two networks, two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the two bowl-shaped capitals that were on top of the pillars; and the ten carts; and the ten basins on the carts; and the one Sea; and the twelve oxen under the Sea; and the pots, and the shovels, and the bowls; and all these vessels that Huram made for King Solomon for the house of YHWH were of polished bronze. In the plain of the Jordan the king had cast them in clay molds, between Succoth and between Zarethan. 7.46 Zarethan is a variant of Zeredah; see 2 Chronicles 4:17. And Solomon did not weigh all the articles; because of the exceedingly great abundance, the weight of the bronze was not determined. Completion of the Gold Furnishings (2 Chronicles 4:19–22) And Solomon had made all the furnishings that were for the house of YHWH: The altar of gold; and the golden table on which was the bread of the Presence; and five lampstands on the right and five on the left, in front of the inner sanctuary, of pure gold; and the flowers, and the lamps, and the wick trimmers, of gold; and the basins, and the trimmers, and the bowls, and the ladles, and the firepans, of pure gold; and the hinges for the doors of the inner house (for the Holy of the Holies),7.50 Or the Most Holy Place and for the doors of the main hall of the house, of gold. And was finished all the work that King Solomon had done for the house of YHWH. And Solomon brought in the holy things of David his father—the silver, and the gold, and the furnishings. He put them in the treasuries of the house of YHWH. The Ark Enters the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:1–14) Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of YHWH from the City of David, that is, Zion. And all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast8.2 That is, the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths or Shelters); similarly in verse 65; see Leviticus 23:33–36. in the month of Ethanim.8.2 Ethanim was the seventh month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of September and October. It is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. And they brought up the ark of YHWH, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. And the priests and the Levites brought them up. And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him were with him before the face of the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of YHWH to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the Holy of Holies,8.6 Or the Most Holy Place to under the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread forth two wings toward the place of the ark, and the cherubim and they covered over the ark and its poles from above. And the poles extended so that could be seen the ends of the poles from the Holy Place upon the face of the inner sanctuary, and they could not be seen from outside; and they are there to this day. Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb when YHWH cut with the sons of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt. 8.9 That is, Mount Sinai, or possibly a mountain in the range containing Mount Sinai And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the Holy Place, that the cloud filled the house of YHWH, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of YHWH filled the house of YHWH. Solomon Blesses Yahweh (2 Chronicles 6:1–11) Then spoke Solomon: “YHWH8.12 Some LXX manuscripts The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but has said He would dwell in the dark cloud. I have surely built an exalted house unto You, and a place for You to dwell forever.” And the king turned around his face, and he blessed all the assembly of Israel, and all the assembly of Israel was standing. And he said, “Blessed be YHWH, God of Israel, who spoke by his mouth to David my father, and by his hand He has fulfilled it, saying, ‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house that My Name might be there. And I chose David to be over My people Israel.’ And it was with the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of YHWH, God of Israel. And YHWH said to David my father, ‘Because that it was in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but rather your son who will come from your loins, he shall build the house for My Name.’ And YHWH has fulfilled His word that He spoke, and I have risen up in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as YHWH spoke. And I have built the house for the name of YHWH, God of Israel. And I have made a place there for the ark, in which there is the covenant of YHWH that He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.” Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication (2 Chronicles 6:12–42) And Solomon stood before the face of the altar of YHWH in front of all the assembly of Israel, and he spread out his hands toward the heavens. And he said, “O YHWH, God of Israel, there is not a God like You in the heavens above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant and loving devotion with Your servants, those walking before You with all their heart, who have kept for Your servant David my father what You spoke to him, and You have spoken with Your mouth, and with Your hand You have fulfilled it, as this day. And now, O YHWH, God of Israel, keep for Your servant David my father what You promised to him, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man before My face sitting on the throne of Israel—only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’ And now, O God of Israel, let be proven faithful, please, Your word, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father. But will indeed God dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain You. How much less this house that I have built? And You have turned to the prayer of Your servant, and his supplication, O YHWH my God, to listen to the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before Your face today: That Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that You may listen to the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place. And may You listen to the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. And may You listen in the place of Your dwelling, in the heavens—and You have listened and have forgiven. When a man sins against his neighbor, and is forced in it to take an oath, and comes and takes an oath before the face of Your altar in this house, then may You hear in the heavens and act and judge Your servants, condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving to him according to his righteousness. When Your people Israel are defeated before the face of an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they turn back to You and confess Your name, and they pray and make supplication to You in this house, then may You hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land that You gave to their fathers. When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and from their sin they turn back because You afflict them, then may You hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of Your servants and of Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk, and May you send rain on Your land that You have given to Your people as an inheritance. When famine is in the land, if there is pestilence, blight, mildew, locust, or if there is grasshopper; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities—whatever plague or whatever sickness— whatever prayer, any supplication, whatever is made by any man or by all Your people Israel when knows each one the plague of his own heart and spreads out his hands toward this house, then may You hear in the heavens, the fixed place of Your dwelling, and forgive and act and give to each man according to all his ways, of whom You know the heart. For You alone know the hearts of all the sons of man, that they may fear You all the days that they live on the face of the land that You gave to our fathers. And also concerning a foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, and he has come from a far country for the sake of Your name— for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm—and he comes and prays toward this house, then may You hear in the heavens, the fixed place of Your dwelling, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You as do Your people Israel, that they may know that Your name is called by this house that I have built, when Your people go out to battle against their enemy in the way that You send them, and they pray to YHWH in the way of the city that You have chosen, and the house that I have built for Your name, then may You hear in the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin) and You become angry with them and deliver them before the face of the enemy, and they have taken captive their captivity to the land of the enemy far or near, and they have turned it back to their heart in the land where they were carried captive there, and they turn back and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ and they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and they pray to You toward their land that You gave to their fathers, the city that You have chosen, and the house that I have built for Your name, then may You hear in the heavens, the fixed place of Your dwelling, their prayer and their supplication, and may You do their justice and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions that they have transgressed against You, and may You grant them compassion before the face of those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them. For they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, out of the midst of the furnace of iron, that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. For You have set them apart to Yourself as an inheritance from among all the peoples of the earth, as You spoke by Moses Your servant when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord YHWH.” Solomon’s Benediction And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying to YHWH all this prayer and supplication, that he arose from before the altar of YHWH, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to the heavens, and he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: “Blessed be YHWH, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has fallen of all His good promise that He promised by the hand of Moses His servant. May YHWH our God be with us as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us and not forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances that He commanded our fathers. And may these my words with which I have made supplication before the face of YHWH, be near unto YHWH our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, the word of a day in its day, that all the peoples of the earth may know that YHWH is God; there is no other. And let your⁺ heart be complete to YHWH our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.” Sacrifices of Dedication (2 Chronicles 7:4–10) And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifices before the face of YHWH. And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings that he offered to YHWH, twenty-two thousand bulls, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. And the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of YHWH. On that day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of YHWH, for he offered there the burnt offerings and the grain offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before YHWH was too small to receive the burnt offerings and the grain offerings and the fat of the peace offerings. And Solomon made at that time a feast, and all Israel with him—a great assembly—from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the face of YHWH our God, seven days and seven days—fourteen days. On the fifteenth day8.66 Hebrew On the eighth day, probably referring to the day following the seven-day feast; see 2 Chronicles 7:9–10. he sent away the people, and they blessed the king and went to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for all the good that YHWH had done for David His servant and for Israel His people. Yahweh’s Response to Solomon (2 Chronicles 7:11–22) And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished building the house of YHWH and the house of the king and all the desire of Solomon that he delighted to do, that YHWH appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. And YHWH said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me. I have consecrated this house that you have built to put My Name there even to forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there all the days. And if you walk before Me as David your father walked in integrity of heart and with uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you—if you keep My statutes and My ordinances— I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I spoke to David your father, saying, ‘You will not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ If you⁺ at all turn back, you⁺ or your⁺ sons, from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes that I have set before you⁺, and you⁺ go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the face of the land that I have given them, and this house that I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight, and Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all the peoples. And this house has become a heap of rubble; everyone who passes by it will be appalled and will hiss and say, ‘Upon what has YHWH done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9.8 Some LXX manuscripts, Syriac, and Arabic; Hebrew And though this house is now exalted; see also 2 Chronicles 7:21. And they will answer, ‘Upon that they have forsaken YHWH their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and they have embraced other gods and worshiped them and served them. Upon thus YHWH has brought on them all this calamity.’” Solomon’s Additional Achievements (2 Chronicles 8:1–18) And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had built the two houses—the house of YHWH and the house of the king— Hiram the king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress9.11 Or pine or juniper or fir wood and gold, as much as he desired, then King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. And Hiram went from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, and they were not right in his eyes. And he said, “What are these cities that you have given to me, my brother?” And he called them the land of Cabul,9.13 Cabul sounds like the Hebrew for good-for-nothing. as they are to this day. And Hiram had sent to the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold.9.14 120 talents is approximately 4.52 tons or 4.1 metric tons of gold. And this is the matter of the forced labor that King Solomon raised to build the house of YHWH, and his own house, and the Millo,9.15 That is, the terrace; also in verse 24 and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer. Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and taken Gezer and burned it with the fire, and the Canaanite who dwelt in the city he had killed, and had given it as a dowry to his daughter, the wife of Solomon. And Solomon built Gezer, and Lower Beth-horon, and Baalath, and Tamar9.18 Alternate MT reading; the other alternate reads Tadmor in the wilderness in the land,9.18 That is, in the wilderness of Judah and all the storage cities that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and cities of the horsemen,9.19 Or cavalry or charioteers and the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. All the people remaining of the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite (who were not of the sons of Israel)— their sons who were left after them in the land, whom the sons of Israel had not been able to devote to destruction—9.21 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering. and raised from these Solomon for the forced labor of serving even to this day. And of the sons of Israel Solomon made none forced laborers, because they were men of war, and his servants, and his officers, and his captains, and commanders of his chariots, and his cavalry. These were the chiefs of the officials who were over the work of Solomon, fifty-five hundred who ruled over the people who did the work. However, the daughter of Pharaoh came up from the City of David to her house that he had built for her; then he built the Millo. And Solomon offered three times a year burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he had built for YHWH, and he burned incense with them on that which was before the face of YHWH. And he finished the house. And King Solomon built a fleet at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea9.26 Eloth is a variant of Elath; see LXX, 2 Kings 14:22, and 2 Kings 16:6. in the land of Edom. 9.26 Or the Sea of Reeds And Hiram sent with the ships his servants, men of ships who knew the sea, with the servants of Solomon. And they went to Ophir and acquired from there gold, four hundred and twenty talents,9.28 420 talents is approximately 15.8 tons or 14.4 metric tons of gold. and they brought it to King Solomon. The Queen of Sheba (2 Chronicles 9:1–12) And the queen of Sheba heard the report of Solomon concerning the name of YHWH, and she came to test him with difficult questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great company, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon, and she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. And Solomon answered to her all her matters; there was not a thing so difficult for the king, that he could not explain it to her. And the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, and the food on his table, and the seating of his servants, and the service of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he offered up to the house of YHWH. And there was no breath in her anymore. And she said to the king, “True was the word that I heard in my land about your words and your wisdom. I did not believe the words until that I came and my eyes saw, and indeed it was not told to me the half; you have added wisdom and prosperity to the report that I heard. Blessed are your men! Blessed are your servants, these who stand before you continually hearing your wisdom! 10.8 LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate your wives YHWH your God be blessed, who delighted in you, setting you on the throne of Israel, because YHWH has loved Israel forever, and He has appointed you king to do justice and righteousness.” And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold,10.10 120 talents is approximately 4.52 tons or 4.1 metric tons of gold. and spices very many, and precious stones. There never came spice like that again in such abundance that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. (And the ships of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir very much almug wood, and precious stones. 10.11 Almug is probably a variant of algum; also in verse 12; see 2 Chronicles 2:8. And the king made the steps of almug wood for the house of YHWH, and for the house of the king, and harps and stringed instruments for the singers. There never came again such almug wood, nor has been seen to this day.) And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, besides what had been given to her according to the hand of king Solomon. And she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants. Solomon’s Wealth and Splendor (2 Chronicles 1:14–17; 2 Chronicles 9:13–28) And the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold,10.14 666 talents is approximately 25.1 tons or 22.8 metric tons of gold. besides that from the men—tourists—and from the merchandise of the traders, and from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country. And King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold10.16 600 shekels is approximately 15.1 pounds or 6.8 kilograms of gold. went into one shield. And he made three hundred shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold10.17 3 minas is approximately 3.77 pounds or 1.71 kilograms of gold; possibly a reference to double minas, that is, approximately 7.54 pounds or 3.42 kilograms. went into one shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. And the king made a great throne of ivory, and he overlaid it with pure gold. Six steps were to the throne, and the round top of the throne was at the back, and were armrests on this side and on this side of the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the armrests. And twelve lions stood there on the six steps, on this side and on this side. Nothing had been made like this for any kingdoms. And all the drinking vessels of King Solomon were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver—it was not accounted in the days of Solomon as anything. For ships of Tarshish10.22 Or a fleet of trading ships; twice in this verse were unto the king at sea with the ships of Hiram. Once in three years came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.10.22 Or baboons And King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart. And they brought, each man, his present, articles of silver and gold, and garments, and armor, and spices, horses and mules, the matter of year after year. And Solomon gathered chariots and horses, and were unto him a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horses, and he placed them in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 10.26 Or horsemen or charioteers; twice in this verse And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees he made as abundant as the sycamores that are in the Shephelah.10.27 Or foothills or lowlands; that is, the western foothills of Judea And were imported the horses that were to Solomon from Egypt and Kue;10.28 Probably an area in Cilicia, a province in the southeast of Asia Minor merchants of the king bought them from Kue at a price. And a chariot came up and came out from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver,10.29 600 shekels is approximately 15.1 pounds or 6.8 kilograms of silver. and a horse for a hundred and fifty.10.29 150 shekels is approximately 3.8 pounds or 1.7 kilograms of silver. And thus to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram, by their hand they brought them out. Solomon’s Foreign Wives And King Solomon loved many foreign women as well as the daughter of Pharaoh—Moabitesses, Ammonitesses, Edomitesses, Sidonianesses, and Hittitesses— from the nations of whom YHWH had said to the sons of Israel, “You⁺ must not enter into them and they must not enter into you⁺; surely they will stretch away your⁺ hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. And there were unto him seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. And his wives stretched away his heart. And it was, at the time of the old age of Solomon, that his wives stretched his heart after other gods, and his heart was not loyal to YHWH his God like the heart of David his father. And Solomon walked after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom11.5 Milcom is a variant of Molech; also in verse 33; see verse 7 and Leviticus 18:21. the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the eyes of YHWH, and he was not fully after YHWH like David his father. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is on the front of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the sons of Ammon. And likewise he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. God’s Anger against Solomon And YHWH became angry with Solomon, because his heart had stretched from YHWH, God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. And He had commanded to him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. And he did not keep what YHWH had commanded. And YHWH said to Solomon, “Because that you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless in your days I will not do it, for the sake of David your father. From the hand of your son I will tear it. However all the kingdom I will not tear away. One tribe I will give to your son for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.” Hadad’s Return And YHWH raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was from the seed of the king in Edom. And it came to pass in David being in Edom, in the going up of Joab the commander of the army to bury the slain, that he had struck down every male in Edom— for six months Joab had remained there, and all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom— and Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of the servants of his father with him, to go to Egypt. And Hadad was a young boy. And they arose from Midian and came to Paran. And they took men with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt. And he gave to him a house, and he ordered food for him, and gave land to him. And Hadad found great favor in the eyes of Pharaoh, so that he gave to him as wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes. And the sister of Tahpenes bore to him Genubath his son, and Tahpenes weaned him in the midst of the house of Pharaoh; and Genubath was in the house of Pharaoh in the midst of the sons of Pharaoh. And Hadad heard in Egypt that David had rested with his fathers, and that Joab the commander of the army was dead. And Hadad said to Pharaoh, “Let me depart, that I may go to my own land.” And Pharaoh said to him, “But what are you lacking with me, that suddenly you seek to go to your own land?” And he answered, “Nothing, but you must surely send me away.” Rezon’s Hostility And God raised up against him an adversary, Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from Hadadezer king of Zobah his lord. And he gathered to him men and became captain of a troop, when David killed them; and they went to Damascus and dwelt in it, and they made him king in Damascus. And He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon, besides the trouble that was of Hadad. And he abhorred Israel and reigned over Aram. Jeroboam’s Rebellion And Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zereda—the name of his mother was Zeruah, a widow, and a servant of Solomon—and he lifted up a hand against the king. And this is the thing for which he lifted up a hand against the king: Solomon had built the Millo and he had closed up the breach of the city of David his father. 11.27 That is, the terrace And the man Jeroboam was mighty in valor. And Solomon saw the young man, that he was doing business, and he appointed him over all the forced labor of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass at that time, that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the Shilonite, the prophet, met him on the way. And he had clothed himself with a new garment, and the two were alone in the field. And Ahijah took hold of the new garment that was on him and tore it into twelve pieces. And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces. For thus says YHWH, God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give to you ten tribes. And one tribe he shall have for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, because that they have11.33 Hebrew; LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate he has; twice in this verse forsaken Me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do right in My eyes, and My statutes and My ordinances, as David his father did. And I will not take all the kingdom out of his hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David My servant, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and My statutes; and I will take the kingdom out of the hand of his son and give it to you—ten tribes. And to his son I will give one tribe, that there may be a lamp to David My servant all the days before Me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for Myself to put My name there. And you I will take, and you shall reign over all that your heart desires, and you shall be king over Israel. And it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, and walk in My ways, and do right in My eyes, to keep My statutes and My commandments as did David My servant, I will be with you and I will build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give to you Israel. And I will afflict the seed of David on account of this, but not all the days.’” And Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam, and Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt; and he was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. The Death of Solomon (2 Chronicles 9:29–31) And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? And the days that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel were forty years. And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David his father. And Rehoboam his son reigned in his place. Rebellion against Rehoboam (2 Chronicles 10:1–15) And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. And it came to pass, when Jeroboam son of Nebat heard it, he was still12.2 Or he remained in Egypt—for he had fled from the presence of King Solomon, and Jeroboam had been dwelling in Egypt— and they sent and called to him, and came Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, “Your father made heavy our yoke, and you now, lighten the burdensome service of your father and his heavy yoke that he put on us—and we will serve you.” And he said to them, “Depart yet for three days, and come back to me.” And the people departed. And King Rehoboam counseled with the elders who had been standing before Solomon his father while he still lived, and he said, “How do you⁺ counsel me to return an answer to this people?” And they spoke to him, saying, “If today you will be a servant to this people, and serve them and answer them, and speak to them good words, then they will be servants to you all the days.” And he rejected the counsel of the elders that they counseled him, and he counseled with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before his face. And he said to them, “What do you⁺ counsel that we should return as an answer to this people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten of the yoke that your father put on us’?” And spoke to him the young men who had grown up with him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made heavy our yoke, and you make it lighter on us.’ Thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father. And now my father put on you⁺ a heavy yoke, and I will add to your⁺ yoke. My father scourged you⁺ with whips, and I will scourge you⁺ with scorpions.’” And came Jeroboam and all the people to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had directed, saying, “Come back to me the third day.” And the king answered the people harshly, and he rejected the counsel of the elders that they had counseled him. And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made heavy your⁺ yoke, and I will add to your⁺ yoke. My father scourged you⁺ with whips, and I will scourge you⁺ with scorpions.” And the king did not listen to the people, for the turning was from YHWH, that He might fulfill His word that YHWH had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat. The Kingdom Divided (2 Chronicles 10:16–19) And all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, and the people returned the answer to the king, saying, “What portion have we in David? And there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!” And Israel departed to their tents. And the sons of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. And King Rehoboam sent Adoram,12.18 Hebrew; some LXX manuscripts and Syriac Adoniram; see 1 Kings 4:6 and 1 Kings 5:14. who was in charge of the revenue. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and he died. And King Rehoboam strengthened himself to go up into a chariot to flee to Jerusalem. And Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. Shemaiah’s Prophecy (2 Chronicles 11:1–4) And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had come back, that they sent for him and called him to the congregation, and they made him king over all Israel. There was none who followed the house of David, except the tribe of Judah alone. And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, and he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand who were chosen warriors to fight against the house of Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. And the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, “Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying, thus says YHWH: ‘You⁺ shall not go up nor fight against your⁺ brothers the sons of Israel. And let return every man to his house, for from Me this thing is.’” And they listened to the word of YHWH and turned back to depart, according to the word of YHWH. Jeroboam’s Idolatry And Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and dwelt there. And he went out from there and built Penuel.12.25 Penuel is a variant of Peniel; see Genesis 32:30. And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David. If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in the house of YHWH at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.” The king and took counsel and made two calves of gold, and he said to them, “It is too much for you⁺ to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” And he set up one in Bethel, and one he put in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went before the face of one of the calves as far as Dan to worship. 12.30 Likely reading of the original Hebrew text; MT the people walked to the one as far as Dan; LXX the people went to the one at Bethel and to the other as far as Dan And He made shrines on the high places, and he made priests from the ends of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast of the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month,12.32 This feast was exactly one month after the annual Feast of Tabernacles in Judah; see Leviticus 23:34. like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar. Thus he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he caused to stand in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. And he made offerings on the altar that he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month that he had devised in his own heart, and he ordained a feast for the sons of Israel and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense. Jeroboam’s Hand Withers (2 Kings 23:4–20; 2 Chronicles 34:3–7) And behold, a man of God went from Judah by the word of YHWH to Bethel. And Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried out against the altar by the word of YHWH, and he said, “O altar, O altar, thus says YHWH: ‘Behold, a child shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and bones of man shall be burned on you.’” 13.2 See 2 Kings 23:16. And he gave that day a sign, saying, “This is the sign that YHWH has spoken: ‘Behold, the altar shall be split apart, and the ashes shall be poured out that are on it.’” And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God who cried out against the altar in Bethel, that Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” And his hand withered that he stretched out toward him, so that he could not pull it back to himself. And the altar was split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of YHWH. And the king answered and said to the man of God, “Entreat, please, the favor of YHWH your God and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And entreated the man of God before the face of YHWH, and the hand of the king was restored to him, and it was as at first. And the king said to the man of God, “Come in with me to the house and refresh yourself, and I will give to you a reward.” And the man of God said to the king, “If you were to give to me half of your house, I would not go in with you, nor would I eat bread nor drink water in this place. For so it was commanded me by the word of YHWH, saying, ‘You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way that you came.’” And he went another way and did not return by the way that he had come in to Bethel. The Old Prophet and the Man of God And an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons13.11 LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; Hebrew son came in and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel—the words that he had spoken to the king. And they told their father. And their father said to them, “Where is this—the way he has gone?” For his sons showed him13.12 LXX; Hebrew had seen the way that the man of God had gone, who came from Judah. And he said to his sons, “Saddle for me the donkey.” And they saddled for him the donkey, and he rode on it, and he went after the man of God and found him sitting under the oak.13.14 Or a terebinth or a great tree And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” And he said to him, “Come with me to the house and eat bread.” And he said, “I cannot return with you or go in with you, nor can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place. For I have been told by the word of YHWH, ‘You shall not eat bread, nor drink there water, nor return by going the way that you came in.’” And He said to him, “I am also a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of YHWH, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” He was lying to him. And he went back with him and ate bread in his house, and he drank water. And it came to pass as they sat at the table, that the word of YHWH came to the prophet who had brought him back, and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says YHWH: ‘Because that you have disobeyed the word of YHWH and have not kept the commandment that YHWH your God commanded you— and you returned and ate bread and drank water in the place of which He said to you: You shall not eat bread, and you shall not drink water—your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the donkey, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And he went, and a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his corpse was thrown on the road. And the donkey stood by it, and the lion stood by the corpse. And behold, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road and the lion standing by the corpse. And they went and told it in the city in which the old prophet dwelt. And the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, and he said, “It is the man of God, who was disobedient to the word of YHWH. And YHWH has delivered him to the lion, and it has torn him and killed him according to the word of YHWH that He spoke to him.” And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle for me the donkey.” And they saddled it. And he went and found his corpse thrown on the road, and the donkey and the lion standing by the corpse. The lion had not eaten the corpse, nor torn into pieces the donkey. And the prophet took up the corpse of the man of God and laid it on the donkey, and he brought it back. And the old prophet came to the city to mourn and to bury him. And he laid the corpse in his own tomb, and they mourned over him: “Alas, my brother!” And it was after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is buried. Beside his bones lay my bones. For the word will surely come to pass that he cried out by the word of YHWH against the altar that is in Bethel, and against all the shrines on the high places which are in the cities of Samaria.” After this matter, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, and he turned back and made from the ends of the people priests for the high places. The desiring one would fill his hand and he would become one of the priests of the high places. And this thing became sin of the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off and destroy it from the face of the earth. Ahijah’s Prophecy against Jeroboam At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, please, and disguise yourself, that they may not recognize that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, there is Ahijah the prophet; he spoke concerning me as king over this people. And take with you ten loaves, and some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will become of the child.” And the wife of Jeroboam did so, and she arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. And Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were glazed because of his age. And YHWH had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to seek a word from you about her son, for he is sick. This and this you shall say to her, and it will come to pass when she comes in that she will be disguised.” And it came to pass, when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, that he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why is this that you are disguised? For I am sent to you with a harsh thing. Go, tell Jeroboam, thus says YHWH, God of Israel, ‘Because that I exalted you from the midst of the people and made you ruler over My people Israel, and I tore away the kingdom from the house of David and gave it to you, and you have not been as My servant David who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only right in My eyes— and you have done evil more than all who were before you, and for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images, to provoke Me to anger, and you have cast Me behind your back— therefore behold, I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam: And I will cut off from Jeroboam he who urinates against the wall, bond and free, in Israel, and I will burn up the remnant of the house of Jeroboam as one burns up the dung until it is gone. Whoever dies of Jeroboam in the city the dogs shall eat, and whoever dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.’ For YHWH has spoken. And you arise, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for this is the only one who shall come of Jeroboam to the grave, because there is found in him something good toward YHWH, God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. And YHWH will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day—and what? Even now! For YHWH will strike Israel as the reed is shaken in the waters, and He will uproot Israel from this good land that He gave to their fathers, and He will scatter them beyond the River14.15 That is, the Euphrates upon that they have made their Asherah poles, which provoked to anger YHWH. And He will give up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned, and who caused Israel to sin.” And the wife of Jeroboam arose and departed and came to Tirzah; she was entering to the threshold of the house, and the child died. And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him according to the word of YHWH, which He spoke by the hand of His servant Ahijah the prophet. Nadab Succeeds Jeroboam And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Days of the Kings of Israel. And the days that Jeroboam reigned were twenty-two years, and he rested with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place. Rehoboam Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 12:13–14) And Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was a son of forty-one years in his reigning, and seventeen years he reigned in Jerusalem, the city that YHWH had chosen to put His name in it out of all the tribes of Israel. And the name of his mother was Naamah, the Ammonitess. And Judah did evil in the eyes of YHWH, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done by their sins that they sinned. For they even built for themselves high places, and pillars, and Asherah poles, on every high hill and under every green tree. And also there were male shrine prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that YHWH had cast out before the sons of Israel. Shishak Raids Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 12:1–12) And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak King of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. And he took away the treasures of the house of YHWH, and the treasures of the house of the king. And he took the entirety, and he took all the gold shields that Solomon had made. And King Rehoboam made in their place bronze shields and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guards who guarded the doorway of the house of the king. And whenever the king entered the house of YHWH, the guards carried them and brought them back into the chamber guardroom. And the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Days of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Rehoboam and between Jeroboam all the days. And Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. And the name of his mother was Naamah the Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his place. 14.31 Abijam is a variant of Abijah; some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX Abijah; see 2 Chronicles 12:16. Abijam Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 13:1–3) And in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam15.1 Abijam is a variant of Abijah; some Hebrew manuscripts and LXX Abijah; also in verses 3, 6, 7, and 8; see 2 Chronicles 12:16. became king over Judah. He reigned in Jerusalem three years. And the name of his mother was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. 15.2 Abishalom is a variant of Absalom; also in verse 10; see 2 Chronicles 11:20. And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before his face, and his heart was not complete with YHWH his God as was the heart of David his father. Nevertheless, for the sake of David, YHWH his God gave to him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him, and by establishing Jerusalem, in that David did right in the eyes of YHWH and did not turn aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life—except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. And there was war between Rehoboam15.6 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac war between Abijam (that is, Abijah); most LXX texts do not contain this verse. and between Jeroboam all the days of his life. And the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and between Jeroboam. And Abijam rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place. Asa Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 14:1–15; 2 Chronicles 15:8–19) And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah. And he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. And the name of his mother15.10 Or his grandmother; see verses 2 and 13. was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. And Asa did right in the eyes of YHWH, like David his father. And he banished the male shrine prostitutes from the land, and he removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And he removed Maacah his mother as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image of Asherah. And Asa cut down the repulsive image and burned it in the Valley of Kidron. And the high places were not removed; nevertheless the heart of Asa was completely with YHWH all his days. And He brought the holy things of his father and the holy things for the house of YHWH, silver, and gold, and vessels. War between Asa and Baasha (2 Chronicles 16:1–6) And war there was between Asa and between Baasha king of Israel all their days. And Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and he built up Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. And Asa took all the silver and the gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of YHWH and the treasuries of the house of the king, and he gave them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, King of Aram, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, “a covenant15.19 Or a treaty; twice in this verse. be between me and between you, as there was between my father and between your father. Behold, I have sent to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will go up from me.” And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and he sent the captains of the armies who were unto him against the cities of Israel. And he struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinnereth, besides all the land of Naphtali. And it came to pass when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah, and he dwelt in Tirzah. And King Asa caused to hear all of Judah— none was exempt—and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timbers that Baasha had used for building, and King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. 15.22 Or And King Asa made a proclamation throughout all of Judah Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa (2 Chronicles 17:1–19) And the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age, he was diseased in his feet. And Asa rested with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place. Nadab Reigns in Israel And Nadab son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. And he did evil in the eyes of YHWH, and he walked in the way of his father and in his sin, by which he had caused Israel to sin. And Baasha son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which was of the Philistines. And Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibbethon. And Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned in his place. And it came to pass in his reigning that he struck down all the house of Jeroboam. He did not leave anyone that breathed to Jeroboam, until He had destroyed him according to the word of YHWH that He had spoken by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, on account of the sins of Jeroboam that he had sinned and by which he had caused Israel to sin by his provocation with which he provoked to anger YHWH, God of Israel. And the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel? And there was war between Asa and between Baasha king of Israel all their days. Baasha Reigns in Israel In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah became king over all Israel in Tirzah, for twenty-four years. And he did evil in the eyes of YHWH, and he walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin, by which he had caused Israel to sin. Jehu’s Prophecy against Baasha And the word of YHWH came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, “Because that I raised you up out of the dust and made you ruler over My people Israel—and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam and have caused My people Israel to sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins— surely I will take away the posterity of Baasha and the posterity of his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Whoever dies of Baasha in the city the dogs shall eat, and whoever dies of him in the fields the birds of the heavens shall eat.” And the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel? And Baasha rested with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah. And Elah his son reigned in his place. And also by the hand of Jehu son of Hanani the prophet the word of YHWH came against Baasha and his house, and concerning all the evil that he did in the eyes of YHWH in provoking Him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and upon that he had struck him down. Elah Reigns in Israel In the twentieth year and sixth year of Asa king of Judah, Elah son of Baasha became king over Israel in Tirzah, two years. And his servant Zimri conspired against him (commander of half of the chariots) and he was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the house in Tirzah. And Zimri went in and struck him and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned in his place. And it came to pass when he began to reign, at his sitting on his throne, that he killed all the house of Baasha. He did not leave to him one who urinates against the wall, or of his redeemers, or of his friends. And Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha according to the word of YHWH, which He spoke against Baasha by Jehu the prophet concerning all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, by which they had sinned, and by which they had caused Israel to sin in provoking to anger YHWH, God of Israel, with their idols. And the rest of the acts of Elah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel? Zimri Reigns in Israel In the twentieth year and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri had reigned seven days in Tirzah, and the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which was to the Philistines. And the people who were encamped heard it, saying, “Zimri has conspired and also has killed the king.” And all Israel made king Omri the commander of the army over Israel that day in the camp. And Omri went up, and all Israel with him, from Gibbethon, and they laid siege against Tirzah. And it came to pass when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the citadel of the house of the king, and he burned down upon himself the house of the king with the fire, and he died on account of his sins that he sinned in doing evil in the eyes of YHWH, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin that he did, to cause Israel to sin. And the rest of the acts of Zimri and the treason he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel? Omri Reigns in Israel Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts. Half of the people were behind Tibni son of Ginath to make him king, and half were behind Omri. And the people who were behind Omri prevailed over the people who were behind Tibni son of Ginath, and Tibni died, and Omri reigned. In the thirtieth year and first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel twelve years; in Tirzah he reigned Six years. And he bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he built on the hill and called the name of the city that he built after the name of Shemer, lord of the hill of Samaria. 16.24 2 talents is approximately 151 pounds or 68.4 kilograms of silver. And Omri did evil in the eyes of YHWH, and he did evil more than all who were before him. For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat and in his sin that he had caused Israel to sin, provoking to anger YHWH, God of Israel, with their idols. And the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel? And Omri rested with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria. And Ahab his son reigned in his place. Ahab Reigns in Israel, Marries Jezebel And Ahab son of Omri became king over Israel in the thirtieth year and eighth year of Asa king of Judah. And Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years. And Ahab son of Omri did evil in the eyes of YHWH more than all who were before him. And it came to pass, as though had been slight his walking in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians. And he went and served the Baal and worshiped unto him. And he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of the Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made an Asherah pole, and Ahab added to act to provoke to anger YHWH, God of Israel, more than all the kings of Israel who were before him. In his days, Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho. With Abiram his firstborn He laid its foundation, and with Segub his youngest he set up its gates, according to the word of YHWH that He had spoken by the hand of Joshua son of Nun. 16.34 See Joshua 6:26. The Ravens Feed Elijah And Elijah the Tishbite from the Tishbites of Gilead17.1 Or who was from Tishbe in Gilead said to Ahab, “As YHWH, God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be these years dew and rain, except if at my word.” And the word of YHWH came to him, saying, “Go from this place and turn for yourself eastward, and hide by the Brook of Cherith that is on the face of the Jordan.17.3 Or on the east the Jordan; also in verse 5 And it will come to pass that you shall drink from the brook, and the ravens I have commanded to sustain you there.” And he went and did according to the word of YHWH. And he went and stayed by the Brook of Cherith that is on the face of the Jordan. And the ravens brought to him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank from the brook. And it came to pass at the end of some days that the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. The Widow of Zarephath And the word of YHWH came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which is unto Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded there a widow woman to provide for you.” And he arose and went to Zarephath. And he came to the gate of the city, and behold, there a widow, woman, was gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in the vessel, that I may drink.” And she was going to get it, and he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As YHWH your God lives, there is unto me no bread, but only the fullness of a palm of flour in the jar, and a little oil in the jug. And behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Fear not. Go, do according to your word. However, make for me from it a small cake first, and bring it to me. And for yourself and your son, make some afterward. For thus says YHWH, God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be used up, and the jug of the oil shall not run dry, until the day of YHWH giving rain on the face of the earth.’” And she went away and did according to the word of Elijah, and she ate, she and he and her house for days. The jar of the flour was not used up, and the jug of the oil did not run dry, according to the word of YHWH that He spoke by Elijah. Elijah Raises the Widow’s Son And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was very strong, so that no breath remained in him. And she said to Elijah, “What to me and to you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring to remembrance my sin and to kill my son?” And he said to her, “Give to me your son.” And he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and he laid him down on his own bed. And he cried out to YHWH and said, “O YHWH my God, also on the widow with whom I lodge, have You brought tragedy by killing her son?” And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and he cried out to YHWH and said, “O YHWH my God, let come back, please, the soul of this child into his midst.” And YHWH listened to the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came back into his midst, and he revived. And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and he gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives.” And the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and the word of YHWH in your mouth is the truth.” Elijah’s Message to Ahab And after many days it came to pass that the word of YHWH came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.” And Elijah went to appear to Ahab. And the famine was severe in Samaria. And Ahab called to Obadiah, who was over the house. (And Obadiah was one who feared YHWH greatly, for it was in Jezebel cutting off the prophets of YHWH, that Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men to a cave, and he sustained them with bread and water.) And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go into the land, to all the springs of the waters and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and keep alive the horses and mules, so that we will not have to cut off any livestock.” And they divided between them the land to explore it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went one way by himself. And Obadiah was on the way, and behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Are you this one—my lord Elijah?” And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your master, ‘Behold, Elijah.’” And he said, “How have I sinned, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? As YHWH your God lives, there is neither nation nor kingdom where my master has not sent to hunt for you. And they said, ‘He is not here.’ And from the kingdom or the nation he took an oath that they could not find you. And you say, ‘Go, tell your master: Behold, Elijah!’ And it shall come to pass when I am gone from you, that the Spirit of YHWH will carry you to a place that I know not. And when I go and tell Ahab, and he does not find you, he will kill me. And I your servant have feared YHWH from my youth. Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of YHWH, that I hid of the prophets of YHWH, a hundred men, fifty by fifty in the cave, and I sustained them with bread and water? And you say, ‘Go, tell your master: Behold, Elijah.’ And He will kill me!” And Elijah said, “As YHWH of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely today present myself to him.” Elijah on Mount Carmel And Obadiah went to meet Ahab and reported to him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Are you he, O troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but rather you and the house of your father have, in your⁺ forsaking the commandments of YHWH and following after the Baals. And now send, gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and the four hundred and fifty prophets of the Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at the table of Jezebel.” And Ahab sent for all the sons of Israel, and he gathered together the prophets to Mount Carmel. And Elijah came to all the people and said, “Until when will you⁺ pass over between the two opinions? If YHWH is God, follow him; but if the Baal, follow him.” And the people did not answer Him a word. And Elijah said to the people, “I am left, a prophet of YHWH, alone. And the prophets of the Baal are four hundred and fifty men. And let them give to us two bulls, and let them choose for themselves one bull, and let them cut it into pieces, and let them set it on the wood, and they will not set a fire. And I will prepare one bull and lay it on the wood, I will not set a fire. And you⁺ call on the name of your⁺ gods, and I will call on the name of YHWH. And the God who answers by the fire, He is God.” And all the people answered and said, “Well spoken.” And Elijah said to the prophets of the Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you⁺ are many. And call on the name of your⁺ god, and do not set a fire.” And they took the bull that was given to them, and they prepared it and called on the name of the Baal from the morning and until the noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us.” And there was no voice, and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar that they had made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out in a louder voice, for he is a god. Either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” And they called out in a loud voice, and they cut themselves according to their custom with the swords and with the spears, until the blood gushed out over them. And when was past the noon they prophesied until the going up of the sacrifice, and there was no voice, and no one answered, and no one paid attention. And Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him, and he repaired the altar of YHWH that had been torn down. And Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of YHWH had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” And he built with the stones an altar in the name of YHWH, and he made a trench like the house of two seahs of seed around the altar. 18.32 2 seahs is approximately 13.2 dry quarts or 14.6 liters (probably about 25.4 pounds or 11.5 kilograms of seed). And he arranged the wood, and he cut into pieces the bull and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four pitchers, waterpots, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”18.34 Some texts continue verse 33 to this point. And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. And the water ran around the altar, and even the trench he filled with water. Elijah’s Prayer And it came to pass at the going up of the sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O YHWH, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it this day be known that You are God in Israel, and I am Your servant, and at Your word I have done all these things. Answer me, O YHWH! Answer me, that this people may know that You are YHWH God, and You have turned their hearts back again.” And the fire fell of YHWH and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust. And the water that was in the trench it licked up. And all the people saw it, and they fell on their faces and said, “YHWH, He is God! YHWH, He is God!” And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of the Baal! Let not a man escape of them.” And they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there. Yahweh Sends Rain And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, because of the sound of the roar of the rain.” And Ahab went up to eat and drink, and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel. And he bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees, and he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the way the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is not anything.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. And it came to pass on the seventh time that he said, “There is a cloud as small as the palm of man rising out of the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Harness and go down, and do not let the rain restrain you.’” And it came to pass in the meantime thus, and in the meantime the heavens became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. And Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. And the hand of YHWH came upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. Elijah Flees from Jezebel And Ahab declared to Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and also all that he had killed—all the prophets—with the sword. And Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “Thus may do the gods, and thus may they add, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life as the life of one of them.” And he feared, and he arose, and ran for his life, and he came to Beersheba, which is unto Judah, and he left his servant there. And he went into the wilderness a journey of a day, and he came and sat down under a certain broom tree, and he prayed for himself that he might die, and he said, “Enough now, YHWH, take my life; for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a certain broom tree. And behold this, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, by his head was a cake of glowing coals, and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and returned and lay down. And the angel of YHWH came back the second time, and he touched him and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, as far as the mountain of God—Horeb.19.8 That is, Mount Sinai, or possibly a mountain in the range containing Mount Sinai Yahweh Speaks to Elijah at Horeb And he went there into a cave and spent the night in that place. And behold, the word of YHWH came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he said, “I have been extremely zealous for YHWH, God of Hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant; they have torn down Your altars and have killed Your prophets with the sword, and I am left alone, and they are seeking my life, to take it.” 19.10 Cited in Romans 11:3; here and in verse 14 And He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the face of YHWH, and behold, YHWH is about to pass by.” And a wind great and mighty tore into the mountains, and broke in pieces the cliffs before the face of YHWH—YHWH was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake—YHWH was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire—YHWH was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice. And it came to pass when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, to him was a voice, and it said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” And he said, “I have been extremely zealous for YHWH, God of Hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant. They have torn down Your altars and have killed Your prophets with the sword. And I am left alone, and they are seeking my life to take it.” And YHWH said to him, “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus. And When you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Aram. And Jehu son19.16 Or grandson; see 2 Kings 9:14. of Nimshi you shall anoint as king over Israel. And Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. And it shall come to pass that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu will be killed by Elisha. And I have reserved in Israel seven thousand—all the knees that have not bowed to the Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” 19.18 Cited in Romans 11:4 The Call of Elisha And he departed from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, and he was plowing with twelve yoke before his face, and he was with the twelfth. And Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and he said, “Let me kiss, please, my father and my mother, and I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go, turn back, for what have I done to you?” And he turned back from him and took the yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. And with the instruments of oxen he cooked their flesh and gave it to the people, and they ate. And he arose and followed after Elijah and became his servant. Ben-hadad Attacks Samaria Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered together all his forces, and thirty-two kings with him, and horse and chariot. And he went up and laid siege against Samaria and made war against it. And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, to the city, and he said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad:20.3 Some texts break verse 2 and begin verse 3 at this point. ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and loveliest children are mine.’” And the king of Israel answered and said, “According to your word, My lord, the king, unto you are I and all that I have.” And the messengers returned and said, “Thus speaks Ben-hadad, saying: ‘Surely I have sent to you, saying: Your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children, you shall deliver to me. But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants, and it will come to pass that whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will put it in their hands and take it.’” And the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Know, please, and see that this one seeks evil, for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not withhold from him.” And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen and do not consent.” And he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant the first time, I will do; and this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed, and brought back to him word. And Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “Thus may the gods do to me, and thus more, if the dust of Samaria is left for handfuls for all the people who are at my feet.” And the king of Israel answered and said, “Declare: ‘Let not him who is girding boast as him who is loosing.’” And it came to pass at the hearing of this word—and he was drinking, he and the kings, in the booths—20.12 Or in Succoth; also in verse 16 that he said to his servants, “Set yourselves.” And they set themselves against the city. Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad And behold, one prophet approached unto Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am YHWH.’” And Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘By the young men of the commanders of the provinces.’” And he said, “Who will direct the battle?” And he answered, “You.” And he mustered by the young men of the commanders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two, and after them he mustered all the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand. And they went out at noon while Ben-hadad was getting drunk at the command post—he and the kings, thirty-two kings helping him. And the young men of the commanders of the provinces went out first. And Ben-hadad sent out, and they reported to him, saying, “Men are coming out of Samaria.” And he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive. And if they have come out for war, take them alive.” And these went out of the city—the young men of the commanders of the provinces—and the army that was after them. And they struck down each man his man, and Aram fled. And Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen. And the king of Israel went out and attacked the horse and the chariot, and he struck among the Aramaeans a great slaughter. And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and take note, and see what you should do. For at the return of the year20.22 That is, in the spring of the year; similarly in verse 26 the king of Aram will come up against you.” And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills; upon thus they were stronger than we. But if we fight against them in the plain, will we not surely be stronger than they? And do this thing: Dismiss the kings, each from his place, and set governors in their places, and you shall muster to you an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. And we will fight against them in the plain. Will we not surely be stronger than they?” And he listened to their voice and did so. Another War with Ben-hadad And it was at the return of the year, and Ben-hadad mustered the Aramaeans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. And the sons of Israel were mustered and were sustained, and they went against them. And the sons of Israel encamped before them like two small flocks of goats, and the Aramaeans filled the countryside. And came a man of God and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘Because that the Aramaeans have said that YHWH is God of the hills, and He is not God of the valleys, therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you⁺ shall know that I am YHWH.’” And encamped these opposite these for seven days. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the battle drew near. And the sons of Israel struck down the Arameans—a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day. And the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. And Ben-hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner chamber. Ahab Spares Ben-hadad And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel, that they are merciful kings. Let us put, please, sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and we will go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.” And they wore sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, and they came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let my soul live.’” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” And the men were watching closely, and they quickly grasped it from him and said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” And he said, “Go, bring him.” And Ben-hadad came out to him, and he had him come up into the chariot. And he said to him, “The cities that my father took from your father, I will restore, and you may set up streets for yourself in Damascus as my father set up in Samaria. And I will send you away by the covenant.20.34 Or treaty; twice in this verse.” And he made with him a covenant and sent him away. A Prophet Reproves Ahab And a man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of YHWH, “Strike me, please.” And the man refused to strike him. And he said to him, “Because that you have not obeyed the voice of YHWH, surely as soon as you depart from me, a lion will strike you.” And he left him, and a lion found him and struck him. And he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him, striking and wounding. And the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and he disguised himself with the covering over his eyes. And it came to pass, as the king was passing by, that he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and there a man came over and brought to me a man, and he said, ‘Guard this man. If he goes missing for any reason, then your life will be in place of his life, or else a talent of silver20.39 A talent is approximately 75.4 pounds or 34.2 kilograms of silver. you must weigh out.’ And it came to pass that your servant working here and there, and he was not there.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So is your judgment; you have determined.” And he hurried and turned aside the covering from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him, that he was one of the prophets. And he said to him, “Thus says YHWH, ‘Because you have sent away a man I had devoted to destruction,20.42 Forms of the Hebrew cherem refer to the giving over of things or persons to YHWH, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering. out of the hand your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’” And the king of Israel went to his house, sullen and angry, and he came to Samaria. Naboth’s Vineyard And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard that was in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give to me your vineyard, and it will be to me for a garden of green herbs, because it is nearby my house. And I will give to you in its place a better vineyard than it. Or if it is good in your eyes, I will give to you silver of the price of this one.” And Naboth said to Ahab, “Far be it from me, by YHWH, to give the inheritance of my fathers to you.” And Ahab went into his house sullen and angry because of the word that Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him. For he had said, “I will not give to you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and he turned away his face and would not eat food. And Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is this that your spirit is so sullen, and you eat no food?” And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give to me your vineyard for silver; or if it pleases you, I will give to you a vineyard for it.’ And He answered, ‘I will not give to you my vineyard.’” And Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be cheerful. I will give to you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” Jezebel’s Plot And she wrote letters in the name of Ahab and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth with high honor among the people. And seat two men, sons of worthlessness, before him to bear witness against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ And take him out and stone him, that he may die.” And the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were dwellers of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters that she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth with high honor among the people. And two men, the sons of worthlessness, came in and sat before him. And the men of worthlessness witnessed against him, against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” And they took him outside of the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died. And they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned, and he is dead.” And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to give to you for silver. For Naboth is not alive, but he has died.” And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab got up and went down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to possess it. Elijah Denounces Ahab and Jezebel And the word of YHWH came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to possess it. And you shall speak to him, saying, thus says YHWH: ‘Have you murdered, and also taken possession?’ And you shall speak to him, saying, thus says YHWH: ‘In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood—even you.’” 21.19 See 1 Kings 22:38 And Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of YHWH: ‘Behold, I will bring on you calamity and I will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against the wall, and the restrained and the free in Israel. And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and caused Israel to sin.’ And also concerning Jezebel YHWH has spoken, saying, ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 21.23 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate, and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 9:36) ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel at the plot of ground at Jezreel.’ Whoever dies of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat, and whoever dies in the field the birds of the heavens shall eat.” Ahab’s Repentance (Surely there has not been one like Ahab, who sold himself to do wickedness in the eyes of YHWH, because Jezebel his wife incited Him. And he acted very abominably in following after the idols, according to all that the Amorite had done, whom YHWH had cast out before the sons of Israel.) And it came to pass when Ahab heard these words that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and he fasted and lay in the sackcloth, and he walked softly. And the word of YHWH came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because that he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days; in the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.” Ahab and the False Prophets (2 Chronicles 18:1–11) And they dwelt three years without war between Aram and between Israel. And it came to pass in the third year that Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to the king of Israel. And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Have you⁺ not known that Ramoth-gilead is unto us, and we are keeping silent from taking it out of the hand of the king of Aram?” And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth- gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Like me like you, like my people like your people, like my horses like your horses.” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Seek, please, today for the word of YHWH.” And the king of Israel gathered together the prophets, about four hundred men, and he said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here a prophet of YHWH still, that we may inquire of Him?” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man to seek YHWH by him. I hate him, because he does not prophesy concerning me good, but rather evil: Micaiah son of Imlah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things.” And the king of Israel called to one eunuch and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.” And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, clothed with garments, by the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. And all the prophets prophesied before them. And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself horns of iron, and he said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘With these you shall gore Aram until they are consumed.’” And all the prophets prophesied thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, and YHWH will deliver it into the hand of the king.” Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab (2 Chronicles 18:12–27) And the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, please, the words of the prophets with one accord are good unto the king. Let be, please, your word like the word of one of them, and speak good.” And Micaiah said, “As YHWH lives, surely that which YHWH says to me, that I will speak.” And he came to the king. And the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to war, or shall we refrain?” And he answered to him, “Go up and prosper, for YHWH will deliver it into the hand of the king.” And the king said to him, “Up to how many times shall I make you swear that you speak nothing to me but the truth in the name of YHWH?” And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like the sheep that have no shepherd. And YHWH said, ‘These have no master; let them return, a man to his house in peace.’” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did not I say to you that he would not prophesy concerning me good, but rather evil?” And he said, “Therefore hear the word of YHWH. I saw YHWH sitting on His throne, and all the host of the heavens standing beside him on His right and on His left. And YHWH said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And thus spoke this one, and thus spoke this one. And a spirit came forward and stood before the face of YHWH and said, ‘I will persuade him.’22.21 Some texts break verse 21 and begin verse 22 at this point. And YHWH said to him, ‘By what?’ And he said, ‘I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘Entice him and also you will prevail. Go and do so.’ And now, behold, YHWH has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and YHWH has declared disaster against you.” And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went near, and he struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Where is this that has passed over the spirit of YHWH from me to speak with you?” And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day, when you go into an inner chamber to hide.” And the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash son of the king. And say, thus says the king: ‘Put this one in the house of restraint, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.’” And Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, YHWH has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, peoples, all of them.” Ahab’s Defeat and Death (2 Chronicles 18:28–34) And the king of Israel went up, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, to Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and come into the battle, and you put on your robes.” And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle. And the king of Aram had commanded the captains of the chariots who were unto him, thirty-two, saying, “You⁺ shall not fight with small or with great, except but with the king of Israel by himself.” And it came to pass, the commanders of the chariots seeing Jehoshaphat, that they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” And they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. And it came to pass, the captains of the chariots seeing that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. And a man drew with the bow in his simplicity, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints and between of armor. And he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn your hand and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” And the battle increased that day, and the king was propped up in the chariot over against Aram. And he died in the evening, and the blood from the wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot. And a shout went throughout the army at the going in of the sun, saying, “Each man to his city, and each man to his own land.” And the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria. And one washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria. And the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed, according to the word of YHWH that He had spoken. 22.38 See 1 Kings 21:19. And the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel? And Ahab rested with his fathers. And Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 20:31–34) And Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was a son of thirty-five years in his reigning, and twenty-five years he reigned in Jerusalem. And the name of his mother was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he did not turn aside from them, doing right in the eyes of YHWH. Nevertheless, they did not remove the high places; still the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. And Jehoshaphat made peace with the kings of Israel. And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Judah? And the rest of the male shrine prostitutes, who remained from the days of Asa his father, he banished from the land. And there was no king in Edom; he set up a king. Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish22.48 Or a fleet of trading ships to go to Ophir for gold, and they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. Then said Ahaziah son of Ahab to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” And Jehoshaphat was not willing. And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. And Joram his son reigned in his place. Ahaziah Reigns in Israel (2 Kings 1:1–16) Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. And he reigned over Israel two years. And He did evil in the eyes of YHWH and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat who had caused Israel to sin. For he served the Baal and bowed down to him and provoked to anger YHWH, God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.